Cape Cod Beer - Great year round, but make sure to stop by during the summer

Cape Cod Beer is located obviously on the Cape in Barnstable, MA right off of Rte 139 and only 5 minutes away from Route 6 (exit 6). I first heard about this brewery from my Dad a few years ago and rarely is our house not stocked with at least two growlers. The beer goes down smooth and so the growlers go fast. I remember one night where I was having a beer and I look over and the brand new IPA growler was just about empty. I made a "Jeez, I didn't know we were drinking like that tonight" comment, and my dad casually replies "What, I've only had one." Well, the brewery itself is pretty good place to "have one" at.

Whether you are from the Cape or down for a visit, for beer lovers, it's a must stop even if it means giving up a few hours at the beach.

1) Beer - Cape Cod Beer is brewed in a special way where is must be kept cold at all times. I won't try to get into the science details (because I'm not sure I know them), but that makes this beer hard to transport and therefore very limited off-cape. It also helps to make is delicious. The IPA, Blonde, Red, and Porter are year round and all fantastic. The summer is out now and it is delicious. I like that they keep a number on tap year round so you know something will be there you like, but they also mix in seasonal items. Best way to determine which is the best fit? They have a 5 beer sampler and since it's best served cold, you get one beer at a time.

Grade: A


2) Atmosphere - The brewery itself has great location. It has a decent inside, but on a nice day it is the patio that shines. They have a hot dog food truck along with picnic tables and two corn hole sets. They even have taps outside so you don't have to go in for refills. Young to old come to the brewery to refill their growlers and have a few local beers. They recently redid some of their layout so you can sit and enjoy a beer while learning about the brewery (tours once a day at 11am). I asked if they have live music and they did say that on occasion they do so I definitely plan on stopping by on one of those days. Everyone is super friendly and the brewery is dog friendly.

If it's not nice out, stop by anyways. It's got a few tables in the brew room and it's better than going to the Hyannis mall.

Grade: A

3) Food - They have a hot dog food truck, but I have not tried it. It is on my list.


Grade - N/A

4) Price: Exactly what you would want at a brewery. $5 for a pint or a five glass sampler. The sampling glass is a souvenir as well. The growlers are cheap too especially to refill. I was pleasantly shocked when I ordered three samplers and refilled two growlers and received my bill.


Grade: B+

5) Accessibility - Since I usually do an accessibility rating from Boston, I'm giving this a low grade. However, it is right off Rte 6 exit 6 in Barnstable and very easy to get to if you're across the bridge. If you wanted to only make a trek to the brewery and not drive, you could take the bus and then it's a short cab (or dangerous walk) away.


Grade: D

6) "That was a good time, we definitely have to come back"

I go back almost every time I'm at the cape and I'm at the Cape a lot.

Grade: Yes

(Note: the sweatshirt I have from there with a koozie and bottle opener is fair and away my favorite sweatshirt.)

I didn't take any pictures so head over to their website to see a few.



 

Wormtown Brewery - Home of my favorite domestic beer

Wormtown Brewery located in Worcester, MA has slowly become one of my favorite places to get a beer. When I use the term slowly, I really mean rapidly. Technically not in Boston, but it is accessible by commuter rail to Boston so I am counting it. They have a nice outdoor patio, but a bar inside. I've been both when it's nice out and you get sit outside as well as during the winter when the taproom is the only part open.

1) Beer - The Be Hoppy might be my favorite domestic beer. This is really their signature and almost always available. They now also have the Be Hoppy x, which I tried for the first time recently and it was awesome. The Bottle Rocket Pale Ale is also a must try. Honestly, the more beers I try from this place the more I like it. The beer is becoming more and more popular in Boston so make sure to keep an eye out for it. If you're in Worcester, you're almost certain to find it.

Grade: A


2) Atmosphere - They have a lot of space and most of it is dedicated to Brewing. The taproom is on the smaller side and then they have another smaller patio outside. You do feel like you're in a brewery, but it does not have the smell since there is a large window separating the taproom and brewery. On a nice spring day, the patio is alive after work. Not to be understated is how helpful and friendly the staff is. Like I said, just a little on the smaller side

Grade: B+

3) Food -


Grade - N/A

4) Price: Normal price. You can get a sampler or just a regular pint. First time, I recommend the sampler.


Grade: B+

5) Accessibility - Depends. If you find yourself on the train to Worcester, it's like a 5 minute walk from the main station. Since technically this is a Boston brewery/bar blog, then it is awhile away. Parking can be a nightmare, especially on nice days.


Grade: C

6) "That was a good time, we definitely have to come back"

Been there at least 3 times. Will probably find myself there again. Beer is the best part so make sure you at least try it when you see the smiling bottle/tap even if you cant make it to Worcester.

 

Life at Aeronaut in Somerville

 

Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville. First impressions is this place is where someone makes beer. The smell, the huge hall, and the bar sitting right next to supply racks. It's a brewer's brewery.


1) Beer -

So I went two times to Aeronaut in the past 3 weeks. The first time it seemed like all they had was stout's and fruity beers. However, last weekend I was happy to see some pale ale's and a larger variety including beers that are more my style. You can check what beer is available on their website. Having only 7 beers on tap is somewhat a let down, but the beer is really good and there is something for all beer drinkers.


Grade: A-


2) Atmosphere -

Huge beer hall and seating wasn't that bad. My first visit we went almost right as it opened and it was packed for 2:30. They have board games you can play or an old school Nintendo. Very easy to spend a lot of time there. They weather definitely helped while we were there. This is a big mid-afternoon Saturday spot and the second time we found ourselves in a line. We only had to wait like 10 minutes so it was not that bad. Also, the guy who worked the door could not have been more polite and fun. He was reminding anyone whose license expires within a year to get it renewed and was just super friendly. Basically when we were there it was a bunch of people in their mid 20's just looking to get a day glow. Atmosphere is the best part in my opinion.

Grade: A

It's lit at @aeronautbrewers

A photo posted by Boston Breweries And Bars (@bosbrewbar) on Feb 20, 2016 at 11:42am PST

3) Food -

The chocolate place nearby was good, but no food.

Grade - N/A

4) Price:

Beer was about $8, but for a decent beer. Average I would say. You can also get smaller portions for cheaper and make yourself a sampler.

Grade: B+

5) Accessibility -

We ended up in an uber to get there. That's really the easiest way. Worth the trip though. It's either that or subway/bus/walk combo. Not the easiest, but they have good space.

Grade: B

6) "That was a good time, we definitely have to come back"

Awesome time. Although my ratings don't do the brewery justice, it was a great time. Hence going there twice in 3 weeks.  It's a spot you can camp out for a little while. You can't beat the authentic beer hall vibe it had going on. Everyone was super friendly too, even though they were busy.

Grade: YES

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Cambridge Brewing Company - A little bit for everyone

The first stop in our quest to find the best breweries and bars in Boston was to Cambridge Brewing Company. Now Cambridge has a reputation for being a lot of hipster Harvard and MIT kids and generally I avoid crossing over into that area. However, all my experiences at bars and now with Cambridge Brewing have countered my long belief that I can not have a good time in Cambridge.


1) Beer -

Excellent. I got a 4 beer sampler to start and my waiter recommended 4 IPA's based on my description of my preference. I enjoyed all four and ordered a full pint of one of them once I was done. They had a variety of beers which I liked. Although I generally like an IPA or pale ale they had something for everyone. We had beer drinkers and non beer drinkers and everyone was satisfied with their order. I definitely would like to explore this menu further.

Grade: A+


2) Atmosphere -

Felt more like a restaurant than your standard Brewery, kind of like  Boston Beer Works. However, big windows provided tons of natural light (it helped that Saturday was a beautiful February day). The crowd was thinner, but still a good amount of people. We had a party of 7 and were able to sit down immediately at noon. Mostly a brunch crowd with everyone drinking beer. The staff was excellent in answering questions and just overall friendliness. They had a super cool mural on the wall too. There's a very attractive and talented man on this in a blue sweater.

Grade: A

3) Food -

Might have been the consensus best part. I had buffalo fingers which were great, but those who were more adventurous were even more rewarded. We went mostly with the breakfast food, they had a burrito that was great and I got to take a bite from. The chocolate donuts are a high recommendation for the table.

Grade - A+

4) Price:

Beer was $8 for a 4 glass sampler and around $5 for a pint. Can't argue with those prices especially since some of the beer is higher percentage than Bud Light. Food was right around $11 for a breakfast plate. Nothing to complain about especially in Cambridge.

Grade: A+

5) Accessibility -

We took the Red Line and it was super easy. Get off at Kendall/MIT and quick 5 minute walk. Look for the signs as the construction made it a little difficult to find once you were there. It is in Cambridge so for someone like me who lives in Southie and usually goes out to Boston, it was a longer trip than normal.

Grade: Corey: A-

6) "That was a good time, we definitely have to come back"
Absolutely. Beer, food, atmosphere, and Tom Brady on the wall. Also, in a great spot to make it one of a few places to check out. They were also active on social media which is always a bonus and creates brand loyalty. As one of four places we stopped at, this was my number 1. I've already recommended to a variety of people ranging from low 20's to mid 50's. Everyone can have a good time at the CBC.

Grade: YES

Don't forget to follow on Twitter and Instagram/exchange-o-gram @bosbrewbar.

 

Overview of the Blog

So in theme with the local Boston's ______ Blog, I thought it might be a fun (possibly fun just for me) to do a local review of breweries and bars. I recently got back from San Francisco where there were a ton of breweries and I spent like two days touring them with my brother. Breweries are a great time because it gives you a chance to tastes new beers, but also they usually have an awesome set up. The people are super friendly, especially at the smaller places since they have a strong passion for what they're doing and are proud of their product. Since I went to so many in San Fran, I felt like a I betrayed my city since I've missed so many local Boston Breweries. Well no longer!

Most likely there will be a few contributers on here to get multiple opinions and more variety of places.

Focus areas for breweries will be as follows:

1) Beer quality.
2) Atmosphere
3) Food (if applicable)
4) Price
5) Accessibility (Especially without car/driving. I want to try to take public transport and not even lyft or uber to the places.)
6) Most importantly, the gut test. Did we walk out saying "That was a good time, we definitely have to come back"

Other things we will focus on this is different places to go on different situations.

Best before game bars
Best after work bars
Best outdoor bars (in the summer)

First stops on the list are:

Cambridge Brewing Company (Obviously in Cambridge)
Aeronaught Brewing Company (In Somerville)
Bronwyn (In Somerville. This is a bar/restaurant with  German style)

I know at least Cambridge is excited for us to come

When I asked for the go-to I was directed to them all. Well if they're going to twist my arm, I guess I'll have to test the sampler to decide which one I want a full pint of.



Although we are not going to rank them, Aeronaught is the last stop so has an advantage.

Keep in mind all opinions are 100% ours and have no been influenced in anyway since we currently no followers and are doing this for fun. However, low standard of morals so we can be bought. (Even a free beer or two, we promise not to tell Taffer.)

Twitter and Instagram are @bosbrewbar